Railroad switch heater



July 21, 1936. F. F. ZAVATKAY RAILROAD SWITCH HEATER Filed June 8, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY5 MV 37 BY d w W M 2. .IM a m 9 9 4 4 T M N E m 2 2 1 M a 4 w w z w z. a 9 4 a 3 4 z. :6 a 9 J I, w M a 1 a 9 4 a a 9 M 4 F 3 9 WW 1% MRKI 2, 4 4

y 1, 1936. F. F. ZAVATKAY 2,043,533

RAILROAD SWITCH HEATER INVENTOR 3 MNEYS Patented July 21, 1936 RAILROAD swrrcn HEATER Frederick F. Zavatkay, Winated, Conm, assignor of one-half to The Howard P. Cook Company, Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application June 8, 1934, Serial No. 729,635

9 Claims.

This invention relates to heater means and comprises a railroad switch heater.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus to be installed on a railroad road bed in association with-a switch and which may be depended on to keep the switch clear of snow and ice.

Another object is to provide a means for the purpose indicated and which is of simple con-- struction and which may be quickly and permanently installed and easily controlled after installation.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following'del6 tailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein satisfactory embodiments of the invention are shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing an apparatus constructed according to the present invention installed on a switch;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a slightly different arrangement of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, a portion of the burner being broken away to show interior construction; Fig. 5 is a top plan view on the scale of Fig. 4

and showing a single burner;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 4 but showing a modified construction.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and at first particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, at I0 is shown a railroad switch including the usual cross ties stationary rails I2 and I3 and shiftable switch or split rails l4 and I5 adapted to be shifted in any or the usual manner.

According to Fig. 1 a series of similar burners, each generally designated l6, are spaced along the switch and a set of such burners is located at the under side of each of thevstationary rails I2 and I3 in their portions adjacent the split rails I4 and I5. Burners l6 are preferably all fed from a common source of supply, but not necessarily so, and to this end a supply main or as leader ll extending transversely of the switch is connected to a drum or any other source of supply of low flash fuel oil, and such supply main delivers to a distributing pipe l8 extending le thwise of the switch and located between the rails thereof and secured as by straps or brackets 0 I! to the ties At points spaced apart as are the burners IS the distributing'pipe or manifold I8 is provided with. fittings 20 placing the distributing pipe in communication with tubes 2| of which there is 10 shown one such tube for each burner. It will be noted that the tubes 2| pass beneath the rails of the switch and are then doubled back on themselves as at 22 and through needle valves 23 communicate with the burners l6. arrangement it will be clear that each burner may be individually regulated and any particular burners may be in operation while other burners are shut off as desired. Each tube or pipe 2| also preferably includes a loop 4| which 20 permits shifting of the burner and also acts as' a spring means to retain the burner against the rail as will later be described.

The burners l6 are preferably all alike and one of them is detailed in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 and as 5 there disclosed the burner comprises a receptacle 2| againstthe lower portions of the inner surfaces of the inner and outer or front and rear end walls of which are provided plates or stops 25, the upper edges of which are engaged by and 30 limit the downward movement of a cover 26 which has a good fit in the receptacle but may be removed through the top when desired. A tube 21 extends into the lower portion of the receptacle 24 and is perforated in its under side as 35 at 28 and each tube may contain the desired number of perforations and is connected with its valve 23 whereby to receive oil delivered to the valve by the tube 2|.

In the lower portion of the receptacle 24 about 40 the tube 28 there is provided suitable wicking which preferably comprises a mixture of sand and asbestos and the mixture may be in the ratio of one pound of sand to one ounce of asbestos although this may be varied as desired. 45 By particular reference to Figs. 4 and 6 it will be noted that the stops 25 serve to support the cover 26 in such position that the upper or horizontal wall of the cover is spaced slightly above the wicking 29. Cover 26 is provided with suit- 50 able openings as, for example, the slots 30 and these openings are for the escape or passage of vaporized oil as will later more fully appear.

Receptacle 24 is open at its upper side above the cover 26 and is also open in its rear side '66 With this above its cover as indicated at 3| in Figs. 4 and 5. However, the front wall 32 of the receptacle extends above the side walls 33 thereof thereby providing an upwardly extending flange 34. Also, front wall 32 has air inlet openings 35 which may be in the form of the slots shown or otherwise as desired. To the underside of the receptacle there is secured as by spot welding or the like an arm 36 of a spring 31 which spring also includes an arm 38 having a downturned or bent end portion 38. Normally the arm 38 when the burner is not in position under the rail is related to the arm 36 as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4.

When installing the apparatus the burners are, as above suggested, located at the undersides of or beneath the stationary rails of the switch and the burners may be quickly and accurately installed since it is not necessary to bolt them into.

place. When installing a burner its flange 34 on' its front wall is brought against or into engagement with the outer edge of the flange of the rail and the upper edges of the side walls 33 of the burner are brought against the underside of the flange of the rail. The spring 31 is tensioned by being compressed between the receptacle 24 of the burner and the ground or road bed (indicated at 40 in Figs. '3 and 4) and therefore constantly exerts a pressure forcing the said side walls of the receptacle against the flange of the rail. The downturned or bent end 38 of spring 31 is inserted into the ground or road bed as indicated so as to form an anchor.

To hold the extensions or, flanges 34 of the front ends of the burners against the edges of the flanges of the stationary rails each tube 2i intermediate the distributing pipe t8 and the burner is doubled upon itself to provide a loop 4| which loop causes the tube to act as a spring constantly tending to draw the burners inwardly and therefore constantly pressing the flanges 34 against the edges of the stationary rails.

Fig. 2 discloses a slightly different arrangement of apparatus. However, in this figure the burners 16 are located as before and the only difference between the arrangement of Fig. 1 and that of Fig. 2 is in the piping. In Fig. 2 distributing pipes 42 and 43 are arranged to extend lengthwise of the switch and these pipes are located at the respective outer sides of the switch and as disclosed are secured against the ends of the ties "II by brackets 44. From a drum or other suitable container 45 low flash fuel oil is delivered I to the distributing pipe 42 and a pipe 46 extending under the switch serves to deliver 011 from the distributing pipe 42 at one side of the switch to the distributing pipe 43 at the other side thereof. The supply tank 45 for either the arrangement of Fig. 1 or that of Fig. 2 may be supported at the desired elevation to feed the fuel by gravity to the burners or the fuel may be fed by pressure as by air pressure on top of the fuel in the tank created by a suitable pressure pump as is well known.

At the desired points the distributing pipes 42 and 43 are provided with suitable fittings 41 and tubes 48 place the respective flttings in communication with the burners I 6. Each tube 48 is looped intermediate its ends as at 49-whereby the tubes willfunction as springs constantly urging the flanges 34 on the front walls of the burners against the edges of the flanges of the stationary rails. munication between the tubes 48 and the respec- Needle valves 23 control com-' tive burners, and in the pipe line 58 connecting the storage tank 45 with the distributor 42 a shut-off valve 5| is provided.

Fig. 7 discloses a slightly diflerent mounting for the burner and in this flgure the burner is 5 generally designated l6a and comprises the receptacle 24a including the wicking and other parts aspreviously described. However, the receptacle 24a of the burner He has its front wall 32a carried upwardly and then bent over to pro-- 10 vide a relatively long flange 52 adapted to overlie and engage the flange of the rail to which the burner is to be applied. This flange 52 will act as a means to limit movement of the burner in a direction laterally of the rail as in the case 15 of the flange 34 of the burner first described and the flange 52 further serves to support the burner Ilia vertically against the underside of the rail. A spring 31 may or may not be applied to the burner in. as desired;

From the foregoing it will be clear that a single distributing pipe may be located intermediate the rails of the switch as in Fig. 1 or that a distributing pipe may be located at the outer side of each stationary rail of the switch as in Fig. 2. 25 Further, it will be clear that a series of adjacent switches equipped with burner apparatuses disclosed may be fed from a single tank or drum and that such tank or drum might be elevated so as to have the fuel fed by gravity or might be 30 equipped with a small compressoror the like so that a head of air could be maintained in the tank to feed the oil. For each switch there is a cut-off valve which may be of the type of the valve 5| and in addition there is a needlevalve 23 for each burner.

The burners are preferably located between cross ties as shown in the drawings and they are definitely located by bringing their flanges 34 or 52 against the outer edges of the flanges of the stationary rails. The springs 31 may be used or may be omitted if desired and other suitable supporting means may replace them. It will be clear that since each of the lateral or feed tubes is doubled upon itself to form a loop the'said tubes will act as springs constantly" urging-the flanges (either 34 or' 52) of the burners against the flanges of the rails so that the'burners are held in their proper location.

Since each burner is located at the under side 50 of a rail and preferably with the upper edges of .its side walls in engagement with the undersurface of a flange of a rail it will be clear that the entrance of rain or snow into the burners, particularly when the burners are not in operation, is prevented. When a burner is in operation the control valve for the other burners of that particular switch is open and the needle valve of the various burners are adjusted as desired. As the burner operates air to support combustion enters through the openings or slot ,35 and passes through the burner across the upper side of the cover 28. Vaporized oil passing upwardly through the openings or slots 38 of said "cover mixes with this air whereby a combustible mixture results and as this mixture burns (see Fig. 4) a portion 53 of the flame directly engages the flange of the rail l3 against which the burner is disposed and other portions of the flame passing out through the open upper portion of the rear end of the burner as suggested at 54 and 55 may pass upwardly between the rail l3 and the adjacent split rail l5 and also directly engages the said adjacent split rail. Due to the ability of the rails 15 to conduct heat they will be kept well above freezing temperature in the zone of the switch and the latter will be kept free of snow and ice. It will be appreciated that the air entering through the openings or slots 35 in the front wall of the burner sets up a draft across the upper side of the cover '26 whereby to assist in carrying the flame outwardly through the upper portion of the rear end of the burner as suggested by the flames 54 and 55. The entire burner including the wicking 29 will be heated by the flame and the oil will be vaporized.

Having thus set forth the nature of my in-' vention,'what I claim is:

1. In a railroad switch heater, a distributing pipe, burners spaced along the switch and receiving fuel oil from said pipe, each of said burners disposed at the under side of a rail of the switch and-of a length equal to the width of the flange of said rail and having its entire upper side open, and means supporting said burners with their open upper sides against and closed by the flange of said switch rail whereby the flame of each burner directly engages said rail and the entrance of rain or snow into the burner through its open upper side is prevented,

2. In a railroad switch heater, a distributing pipe, burners spaced along the switch and re-g ceiving fuel oil from said pipe, each of said burners disposed at the under side of a rail of the switch and of a length equal to the width of the flange of said rail and having its entire upper side open, means supporting said burners with their open upper sides against and closed by the flange of said switch rail whereby the flame of each burner directy engages said rail and the entrance of rain or snow into the burner through its open upper side is prevented, said supporting means comprising a spring at the under side of each burner and constantly pressing the same in the direction of the rail, and each of said springs of U-shape and having one arm secured to the burner and having its other arm bearing against the road bed beneath the burner.

3. In a railroad switch heater, a burner disposed at the under side of and against a rail of the switch, a U-shaped spring having one arm secured to said burner and having its other arm pressing against-the road-bed beneath the burner whereby the spring is constantly urging the burner against said rail, and an anchoring extension on said other arm of the spring and embedded in the road bed beneath the burner.

4. In a railroad switch heater, a distributing pipe, burners spaced along the switch, tubes connecting the burners with said pipe for the supply of fuel oil to the burners, each of said burners including a portion engaging a rail of the switch and a shoulder engaging the edge of the rail flange, a loop in each. of said tubes whereby the latter form spring means yieldingly. holding the shoulder against the rail, and a U-shaped spring under each burner having one arm resting on the road bed and-supporting the burner against the underside of the rail.

5. In a railroad switch heater, a distributing pipe extending lengthwise of a switch between the rails thereof, spaced burners at the outer sides of the rails of the switch, tubes connecting said burners with the pipe for supplying fuel oil to the burners, each of said burners including a shoulder engaging an edge of the flange of a rail of the switch, a loop in each of said tubes whereby the 5 latter form spring means yieldingly holding the shoulder against the rail, and a U-shaped spring under each burner having one arm resting on a support under the burner for supporting it against the underside of the rail.

6, In a railroad switch heater, a pair of distributing pipes extending lengthwise of the switch and arranged at the oppdsite outer sides thereof, burners spaced along the opposite outer sides of the switch tubes connecting the burners at the respective sides of the switch with the pipes at such sides of the switch, each of said burners including a shoulder engaging an edge of the flange of a rail of the switch, a loop in each of said tubes whereby the latter form spring means 3 yieldingly holding the burner against the rail, and a U-shaped spring support under each burner having one arm resting on the road bed to support the burner against the under side of the rail. -7. Ina burner for a railroad switch heater, receptacle having side and end walls and open at the top so that it may be mounted withthe top edges of the side walls engaging the underside of the rail flange, wicking in the lower portion of said receptacle, means for supplying fuel 'oil to said wicking, and said receptacle being open above the wicking through its rear end, the front end wall being extended above the side walls to engage an edge of the rail flange and having an air inlet opening below said flange so that the flame impinges on the rail flange and passes out said rear opening.

8. In a burner for a railroad switch heater, a receptacle open at its upper side and the upper portion of its rear end, means for supporting the burner with the upper edges of the side walls against the underside of a rail, wicking in the lower portion of said receptacle, means supplying fuel oil to said wicking, a cover over and spaced from said wicking and also spaced below the rail, said coverv having openings therein for the escape of vaporized oil from the wicking, and the front wall of said receptacle extending above the side walls to engage an edge of the rail flange and having an air inlet opening in its upper portion above said cover.

9. In a railroad switch heater, a distributing pipe, burners spaced along the switch, tubes connecting the burners with said. pipe for the supply of fuel oil to the burners, each of said burners including a flange portion overlying and FREDERICK F. ZAVATKAY. 

